UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State opened the 2024 season with a 34-12 win over West Virginia and recorded its sixth-straight win over the Mountaineers. The Nittany Lions have won 20 of the last 23 season openers and have 19-straight regular-season wins over non-conference opponents.
Junior quarterback Drew Allar threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns and redshirt junior wide receiver Harrison Wallace III reached a career-high 117 receiving yards. The Nittany Lions defense held a strong West Virginia run attack to just 85 yards and forced three takeaways.
Penn State will look to continue its success in its home opener at Beaver Stadium against Bowling Green who’ve reached a bowl game in each of the last two seasons. Head coach James Franklin met with the media Monday to discuss the win over the Mountaineers and the game ahead.
Smith Vilbert’s return paying dividends
Redshirt senior defensive end Smith Vilbert has spent the last six seasons in Happy Valley and is one of the oldest players on Penn State at 23. Vilbert has played in 20 games since his freshman year in 2019 and appeared in just one game from 2022 to the start of 2024.
Vilbert missed all of the 2023 season due to an injury but decided to return to Penn State in 2024 for his sixth year of college football. Vilbert’s decision has provided the Nittany Lions with increased depth and talent within an already dangerous defensive line as the 6-foot-6, 282-pound edge rusher made an immediate impact against West Virginia.
Vilbert tallied a sack and a forced fumble against the Mountaineers which marked his first game since the 2023 Rose Bowl against Utah. The 2019 Developmental Squad Defensive Player of the Year has impressed Franklin with his resiliency and commitment to battle through adversity. Vilbert has prolific speed, size and athleticism at the position and Franklin said, “I think he’s going to have a big year.”
“I know he's extremely hungry this year - with as much time as he's invested - to really help this team as much as he possibly can,” Franklin said. “To help the defense as much as he can and also to have a big year for himself and his family…I think there will be a lot of conversations about him on a national scale as well. Those guys are hard to find; guys that have a chance to be physical against the run and be disruptive as pass rushers.”
Beau Pribula a lethal wrinkle in the offense
The Nittany Lions offense shined against West Virginia with 457 total yards and nearly 20% of the 60 snaps being classified as an “explosive play” which is a rushing play of 10 or more yards and a passing play of 15 yards or more.
One of those explosive plays came from redshirt sophomore quarterback Beau Pribula who delivered a 19-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Tyler Warren. Pribula played just under 30% of the snaps on Saturday and brings a unique dynamic to the offensive scheme with the ability to make plays on the run and in the pass game.
Franklin noted how Pribula’s presence on the field forces defenses in difficult situations and that was evident on the touchdown pass as Pribula brought in the defense on a run-pass option play. Franklin said Pribula gives offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki options when it comes to various packages like the ‘Wildcat’ or in option plays with junior running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
“We have a ton of different ways we're going to be able to do that with both of them on the field or just Beau on the field,” Franklin said. “Ways that we can take advantage of it and just pure runs, pure passes; and then some of the things we can do with Beau in the game as a runner, Beau in the game as a receiver, Beau in the game in a lot of different ways.”
Anthony Donkoh shining at right tackle
The departure of former Nittany Lion Caedan Wallace to the New England Patriots left a sizable hole at the right tackle position. Redshirt freshman Anthony Donkoh has helped to fill those shoes and shown Franklin glimpses of how bright his future is.
Donkoh and his fellow offensive linemen didn’t allow a sack to West Virginia and helped the Nittany Lions throw for 235 yards with another 222 on the ground. Donkoh’s length and tenacity at 6-foot-5, 330-pounds gives stability to the right side of the line and allows Penn State’s pass game to develop.
Franklin noted how Donkoh came to all six camps before officially stepping on campus as a student-athlete and said, “he's such a conscientious young man. Extremely intelligent from a football IQ standpoint and also in the classroom.”
“He's got a workman-like approach and just continues to get better,” Franklin said. “[Donkoh] played really well in the bowl game which gave us some excitement about what his future could be. We thought he went out and played really well in week one. Can't have enough guys that are 6-5 plus and 330 pounds and can move like him.”